TEXANS: Defensive ups and downs

Joshua Koch

Published 11:47 am, Sunday, November 2, 2014

Photo: Jason Fochtman

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Houston Texans cornerback A.J. Bouye intercepts a pass intended for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Riley Cooper in the first quarter of an NFL football game at NRG Stadium Sunday, Nov. 2, 2014, in Houston. Bouye returned the interception 51 yards for a touchdown. less

Houston Texans cornerback A.J. Bouye intercepts a pass intended for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Riley Cooper in the first quarter of an NFL football game at NRG Stadium Sunday, Nov. 2, 2014, in Houston. ... more

Entering Sunday’s meeting with the Eagles, Houston ranked second in the NFL in takeaways with 10 forced fumbles and seven interceptions, just trailing the Bills, who had 18.

Houston’s defense got right back to work picking on the Eagles offense, which had turned over the ball 17 times so far this season, forcing four turnovers, three interceptions and a fumble in the loss.

Despite all the turnovers, the Texans still are 4-5, and coming off yet another close loss.

“Vey frustrating.” Cornerback A.J. Bouye said. “Big ups to the offense, they put up enough points. We just have to play a better second half, especially my part just to be better technique-wise and making more of a play on the ball. So, very frustrating but we’ll get back right.”

In the first half, with the offense struggling the defense finally capitalized on Philadelphia mistake.

On their third drive, Bouye picked off a Nick Foles’ pass and took it back 51 yards for the score, tying the game at that point.

“I just saw he started reading the corners instead of the safeties and it was play action and I studied what (Riley) Cooper ran and I was just able to get the pick,” Bouye said. “I’m glad that the defense was able to get blocks for me because if not I probably would’ve been down by the sidelines.”

The Texans defense would pick the ball off two more times as Jumal Rolle intercepted Mark Sanchez on two occasions, then DeMeco Ryans fumbled a Ryan Fitzpatrick interception, which the Texans recovered.

Houston scored on three of the four turnovers, but in the end still surrendered 31 points.

Hence the ups of forcing all the turnovers and the downs of giving up 31 points and losing.

Forcing all the turnovers they did and giving up all the points was startling to Texans safety Kendrick Lewis and said the Eagles offense just did a better job executing in the end.

“It is a bit mindboggling for you to play this good and have this many turnovers and still give up (that many points),” he said. “This is the type of offense who could hit a big play at any time. We have to have a short memory. I know that those guys get paid a lot of money to go out and make plays, which they did.